Receptacle for powder and the like.



REOEPTAGLE FOB. POWDER AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

2 9M; woes IJNE'ID %TATE% PTENT QFFIQQ CHARLES A. TURNER, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

RECEPTACLE FOR POWDER AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 1111a 14, 1919.

Application filed March 18, 1909. Serial No. 484,093.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. TURNER, of Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and in the State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacles for Powder and the Like, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

As is well known in the case of receptacles or boxes for powders or pulverized material now on the market, from which the box contents are to be removed in limited quan tities, such, for example, as talcum powder, there are certain inconveniences as, for instance, the necessity of using both hands in moving the customary cover to open the discharge openings; the likelihood of failure to again close the openings after they have been uncovered, etc., and the object of my invention is to provide a box or receptacle which will be free from these objections, so that it will be more convenient of manipulation, and which will insure the discharge openings being closed, whereby accidental spilling out of the contents will be avoided, and contents of a nature that may be impaired by exposure to the air, will be preserved from injury from such cause, and to these ends, and as well the production of a device that will be inexpensive to manufacture, my invention consists in the box constructed substantially as herein specified and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box embodying my invention; Fig. 2 a vertical section through the upper part thereof; and Fig. 3 a detail view in perspective of the upper part of the box and the members of the cover separated from each other.

In the embodiment of my invention which I have selected for illustration, I show a powder-containing box 10 of familiar form, it being of cylindrical shape and constructed of sheet metal, but of course I do not restrict myself to any particular form or construction of box. At its top or one end, the box has a cover 11 of sheet metal, provided with a number of small perforations 12, through which the powder or pulverulent contents of the box may be discharged, and if it is not desired to refill the box after it has been emptied, the cover-forming plate may be permanently fastened to the top of the box as by crimping a depending flange 13 thereon over the flanged edge of the box top.

\Vithin the box, and bearing closely against the inner side of the cover 11, is a plate 14, which, as is shown, is elliptical in form, and is provided with holes or perforations 15 corresponding in number and relative position to the holes in the cover 11, so that by placing the holes of the two plates in alinement with each other, the powdered contents of the box may be sprinkled therefrom. Normally, the plate 14: is held in a position in which the holes will be out of alinement, and thus the discharge of the contents of the box prevented, and said plate is yieldingly, but with all necessary firmness, held in such position by a pair of oppositely situated and oppositely acting springs 16, that engage the outside of the box near the top. Each spring is substantially C-shape in form, and bears at its extremities against the side of the box, and is formed integrally with a diametrically extending finger or arm 17 that projects from the plate and passes through a notch or slot 18 in the upper edge of the box. The arms or fingers 17 besides constituting the means connecting the springs with the plate, form in connection with the slots or notches, means for guiding the plate in its movements to and from powder-discharging position. The plate 14 with its diametrically extending arms and springs may be formed of a single piece of sheet metal, by simple stamping or dying operations, and is therefore obviously a most inexpensive device, and the springs having the long concavoconvex curved form, distribute the strain upon them virtually throughout their length, so that there is no likelihood of breakage of the springs in use.

It will be understood that in using a box embodying my invention, it is necessary merely to hold it in one hand, and by the pressure of the thumb on one of the springs the valve-forming plate is moved to place its holes in alinement with the holes in the box top, and while held in this position, the box contents are sprinkled out. Immediately on releasing pressure upon the spring, said spring will act to restore the valve-forming plate to box-closing position, it being stopped in such position by the action of the opposite spring, and the two springs together by their opposing action will maintain the valve-forming plate in its closed position.

As among the materials that boxes embodying my invention may contain, I mention talcum powder, pepper and salt, and powders for medicinal purposes, and in the last-mentioned case an important advantage is the antiseptic conditions of use that are possible. I of course do not limit myself to any particular contents for the box or receptacle. A desirable feature of my invention is the location of the springs Wholly outside the box, so that the springs in no Wise interfere With the box contents, and themselves are not clogged or impaired in their action by the box contents. l/Vhen the valve-forming plate is moved to the point Where its holes register with those in the box top, it is stopped in such position so as to assure alinement, as b the engagement of its edge With the Wall of the box.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is 1. A box or receptacle perforated to form a discharge outlet, and a perforated reciprocable spring actuated plate normally held in position to close said outlet, and movable in either of tWo opposite directions to uncover said outlet, and finger-engaging members at opposite sides of the plate on the exterior of the box or receptacle by Which the plate is moved from its spring held position from either side of the box or receptacle.

2. A box or receptacle perforated to form a discharge outlet, and a perforated reciprocable spring actuated plate normally held in position to close said outlet, and movable in either of tWo opposite directions to uncover said outlet, and finger-engaging members at opposite sides of the plate on the exterior of the box or receptacle by which the plate is moved from its spring held position from either side of the box or receptacle, one of said springs being attached to each of said members and engaging the exterior of the box or receptacle.

3. A box or receptacle having discharge controlling means, comprising a slidable plate, oppositely extending arms attached to the plate, and extending to the exterior of the receptacle, and a curved spring attached to the extremity of each of said arms, intermediate the ends of the spring, said ends of the spring bearing against the outside of the box or receptacle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES A. TURNER.

Witnesses:

G. M. PAYNE, RUTH HOFFER. 

